Method of producing ingots of rising or open steel



Dec. 2, 1941.` E, MMMMM RG 42,264,446

Patented Dec. 2, 1941 METHODOF PRODUCING-INGOTS OF RISING 0R OPEN STEEL Edgar Marburg, Apollo, Pa.

vApplication'April 21, 1939, Serial No. 269,268

4 Claims.

This invention 'relates to ingot molds and, more particularly, to caps which are used to seal the tops of ingot molds of the bottle top type after the molten steel has been poured to a` height of a few' inches below the top thereof. The molten metal is usually of the rising or open type and, hence, the height to which it is poured depends somewhat upon the rate of rise. Rising or open steel has very little pipe in any case; whereas killed or deoxidized steel has considerable pipe. In killed steel, mold caps of non-conducting material are employed; whereas with rising or open steels-it is essential to employ a mold cap of conducting material, such as cast metal. Killed steels would never rise into contact with caps;- Whereas this is a characteristicof rising" or open steels.

The rise of molten metal is caused by gas evolved as themetal soldies; and if there is considerable gas evolution, the gas pressure den 'insert a pin through the lugs and also the 'hole-A in the handle by which the heavy mold cap is manipulated. The second widely used method is to make the mold cap extremely-heavy (such, for example, as350 pounds, or more).

The method of pinning the mold cap to the top of` the mold is not only troublesome in that it requires a separate operation to make sure the cap will not blow-oil, but is .objectionable for the reason that the lugs in the 'top of the mold are often knocked off or damaged to such an extent as to be either totally inoperative ,or require straighteningoutor seme other form repair.

"The method which comprises making the mold cap very heavy is objectionable because ofthe'YV difcultyin handling it.

So farl as I am aware, mold caps in most general use have been of two distinct types. One type employs a rather shallow base with rounded Aedges andsmay be of light weight and pinned bottom andis usually made yquite heavy and may or may not be pinned to the top ofthe mold.

It is among the objects of the present invention'to provide a cap for ingot molds which is self-locking to the top thereof and yet one which is relatively light when compared with the weight of comparable devices.

It is another object to provide a cap for ingot molds which rests fiat on the iioor of the pouring platform immediately prior to its application to the top of the ingot mold, whereby it is easier to pick up than the type employing the hemispherlcal bottom which, of course, may roll in any direction.

It is another object of-the present invention to provide a cap for 'ingot molds which will result in the formation of an ingot entailing less metal loss'due to cropping.

The foregoing and other advantages will be apparent after referring to the drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the ingot mold l cap of my invention as applied to a conventional -si'lbstantially that of, although slightly larger than, the opening in the top of the mold. There-` down,A or of heavy weight and not fastened. The

other type embodies a hemispherical-shaped ingot mold of the bottle top type,the latter being shown in section;

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 but showingfthe position the mold cap of my invention would be required to occupy if a blow-oli were to occur;

Figure 3 is a sectional elevation of my improved mold cap; and,

Figure 4 is a sectional elevation covering an ingot which has been formed by the use of my improved mold cap.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the numeral 2A generally designates a conventional ingot mold `of the bottle top type, having the usual opening defined by vertical walls 3.

'I'he improved mold cap of my invention is made Vof cast metal and comprises a circular plate portion 5, theexternal diameter of which is materially larger than the diameter of the opening at the top of the mold defined by the straight walls 3. Therefore, the circular plate 5 may rest upon the top of the ingot mold 2 and completely close the opening therein. Connected to the under side..9f the circular plate 5 there is va base portion which comprises a continuous inverted frusto conical wall. The greatest diameter of the frusto conical base portion 6 is acl-- jacent the circular plate 5 and is of a diameter fore, the inverted frusto conical base portion 6 -oi the mold capot my invention prevents the concave recess 1. This concave recess 1 results in the shaping of the top of the ingot in the mold 2 in the manner indicated at 1* of Figure 4 of the drawing. When shaping the ingot thusly,'it will be observed that a' shallow crop may be resorted to and a greatly increased portion of the ingot used than would be the case if a mold cap embodying a hemispherical or flat bottom were employed.

Refening to the arrows shown in the upper right-hand corner of Figure 2 of the drawing. it will be observed that in the event of a blow-off, molten metal must pass through a narrow opening defined by the sides of thefrusto conical base 6 of the mold cap and turn at right angles along the bottom face of the circular plate 5.

Due to the slight taperfon the frusto' conical sides of the base 6 of the mold cap and the' substantial depth of said base, the molten metal at the sides of the cap forms a thin fm around the base which solidiiies rapidly and forms a strong protection in itself. This n remains on the upper end of the ingot as shown at 'Ib in Figure 4. If the mold cap of the present invention issubjected to a force pushing upward at one point in its periphery, which would tend to make it rotate around a point on the opposite side, the tendency would be for the base 6 to wedge itself even tighter against the mold neck, thus making it substantially self-locking. The only alternative would be if the pressure were exerted uniformly over the inverted frusto conical base 6 of the cap, thereby lifting it straight upward. Although the mold cap of the invention has been subjected to rather extensive trials. such straight upward lifting has never occurred; but even if it should, it can readily be seen that the condition of blowing-off a cap straight upward would be far less dangerous than the usual hazard of one side of the cap lifting and thereby allowing the molten metal to "blow-out" onto the pouring platform. It has been found that, by projectdownwardly into adjacency with the upper portions of the side wallsoi.' the mold and into chilling contact with the steel,A whereby a iin is 'formed between the inverted truste-conical into a vertical ingot mold having a vertical top opening, continuing the teeming until the level of the said steel is adjacent thesaid opening, disposing over the said opening a cover plate 0I sufilcient area to cover the, same, said cover plate being provided with a depending inverted frust.

conical member of suiiicient length to extend downwardly into adjacency with the upper portions of the side walls of the mold and into chilling contact with the steel, whereby a n is formed between the inverted frusta-conical y member and the adjacent upper portions of the ing the inverted frusto conical base S ofthe mold y cap of the invention into vthe=ingot mold as compared with conventional practice wherein the cap does not extend into the mold more than 11/2 inches, there is provided a locking feature against any rotary motion.

While I have shown and described one embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that this embodiment is merely for the purpose of illustration and description and thatvarious other forms ay be devised within the scope of myv invention, as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. 'I'he method of producing ingots of rising or open steel, which includes teeming the said steelY into a vertical ingot mold having a vertical top opening, continuing the teeming until the flevel of the `said steel is adjacent the said opening, disposing over the said opening a cover plate of suicient area to cover the same, said cover plate being provided with a depending inverted frustoconical member ofl suiilcient length to extend side walls of the mold, thereby enabling a lock- .198 action to be effected by the tilting of the said member, said member having an imperforate concave bottom adapted to. receive the upper surface off the steel immediately preparatory to chilling the same.

3. The method of producing ingots of rising or open steel. which includes teeming the said' steel into a vertical ingot mold having a top opening with substantially vertical sides, continuing the teeming until the level of the said steel is adjacent the said opening, disposing over the said opening a cover plate of suilicient area to cover vthe same, said cover plate being provided with a depending inverted frusto-conical member of sufficient lengthto extend downwardly into adjacency with the upper portions of the vertical sides of the top opening of the mold and into chilling contact with the steel, whereby the steel in. the space between the inverted frusta-conical member and the. adjacent substantially vertical sides of the top opening forms an inverted V- shaped iin, thereby enabling a locking action to be effected by the tilting of the said member.

4. The method of producing ingots of rising or open steel, which includes teeming the said steel into a vertical ingot mold having a top opening with substantially vertical sides, con- 'tinuing the teeming until the level of the said steel is adjacent the said opening, disposing over the said opening` a cover plate of suillcient area to cover the same, said cover plate being provided with a depending inverted frusto-conical member of suicient length to extend Adown- 4 wardly into adjacency with the upper portions of the vertical sides of the top opening of the .mold and into chilling contact with the steel,

whereby the steel in the space between the inverted truste-conical member and the adjacent substantially vertical sides of the top opening forms an inverted V-shaped n, thereby enabling a locking action to be eifected by the tilting'of the said member, said member having an im perforate concave bottom adapted to receive the upper surface of the steel immediately prepara-V tory to chilling the same.

EDGAR MARBURG.v 

